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United now flying the world's longest Dreamliner route

United Airlines on Sunday launched what's now the world's longest Dreamliner route, using the Boeing 787-9 to give the carrier a new route between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. The new 787-9 is the

BusinessFirst passengers are given pre-departure drinks after boarding United's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for the carrier’s launch of service between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26, 2014. United Airlines

Dave Hilfman, United's SVP of Worldwide Sales, welcomes customers, officials and employees to the launch of the airline's new nonstop Dreamliner service to Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26, 2014. United Airlines

As for the 787-9, the LAX-Melbourne route marks United's first international deployment of the aircraft. Prior to the beginning of that route Sunday, United flew the 787-9 on domestic routes — mainly between its hubs — as it readied the aircraft for long-haul international service.

At a distance of 7,920 miles (6,855 nautical miles), the Los Angeles-Melbourne route is the world's longest with regular Dreamliner service.

In a statement, United says "the 787-9's extended range — 8,550 miles compared with the 787-8's 8,200 — enables United to launch the Los Angeles-to-Melbourne service, which will be the longest Dreamliner route in the world to date."

United does currently use the 787-8 on some of its flights between L.A. and Melbourne. However, though the 787-8 has the range to do so, United says it would frequently have to account for weight restrictions — flying with fewer passengers or cargo than it has capacity for — to make the journey on the westbound leg. That, United says, would have made it unlikely to add the route without a plan to shift all Melbourne-Los Angeles flights to the 787-9.

United's LAX-Melbourne route comes as the carrier launches three other Pacific routes. Also on Sunday (Oct. 26), United began nonstop service between San Francisco and Tokyo's close-to-downtown Haneda Airport. That route compliments United's existing service between San Francisco and Tokyo Narita, the city's primary international airport.

United also is adding two new routes from its Guam hub. Nonstop service to Seoul begins Monday (Oct. 27) while nonstop flights to Shanghai launch on Tuesday (Oct. 28).

"These four new routes further strengthen United's presence in the Pacific, already the most extensive among U.S. airlines," Brian Znotins, United's VP of network, says in a statement. "New nonstop service to Melbourne and Haneda from our powerhouse West Coast hubs, and the additional new flights from our Guam hub to both Seoul and Shanghai, offer our customers convenience and schedule options that no other airline can offer."